February 16 - It's Not About the Money

"Trust in the Lord with all of your heart…"-Proverbs. 3:5

One of the things that drew David so close to God was his reliance and trust upon God to deliver him from seemingly impossible circumstances. As a shepherd, David relied on the Lord to help him kill lions and bears when they were attacking his sheep. This same faith in God was the reason for David's courage in fighting Goliath. There was no humanly way possible for David, a small shepherd boy, to kill the mightiest warrior in the Philistine army. But God used him for that purpose to display His power.

However, David did not always trust God. As King of Israel, he ordered a census be taken of his army. The Bible says the "Lord's anger burned against" Israel for that act, and as punishment, God killed 70,000 Israelites. What was so horrible about taking a census? Didn't David need to know how many troops he had to prepare for battle? Taking a census indicated that David was trusting in his earthly army-rather than the living God-to deliver Israel from its enemies.

What does this have to do with our stewardship campaign? Just as God wanted David to trust in him to protect Israel against its enemies, so God is calling on each of us to trust in him to provide for our financial needs. Not just the financial needs of the church, but also our individual needs. A person who is fully trusting in the Lord to provide for him and his family does not mind making a sacrificial commitment to the Lord's work at First Presbyterian Church. He is confident the Lord will allow him to fulfill the commitment and provide for his well-being and/or his family.

After the Lord convicted David of his sin, David bought a piece of property on which to build an altar to the Lord. Although, the owner of the land offered to give it to David for free, David insisted on paying for it, saying, "I will not give to the Lord, that which cost me nothing." David repented of his sin and began immediately to trust in the Lord with his finances. He wanted to make a sacrificial gift, knowing that the Lord would provide for his material needs.

In many ways, this stewardship campaign is not about raising money. It is not even about building a new sanctuary. The Lord owns all the money in the world and could build us a new sanctuary in a matter of seconds. Rather, it is an opportunity for each of us to trust Him with our material possessions and receive the blessing that comes from doing so.

- Reid Cavnar